1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to a snap buckle for a belt or strap of a garment, bag, helmet, sporting goods, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art:
FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows a typical conventional snap buckle comprising female and male members, i.e. a flat tube shaped socket member B and a plate shaped plug member A releasably insertable into the socket member B. The male or plug member A has a pair of resiliently deformable legs C each having on its outer surface a stepped portion D. On the other hand, the female or socket member B has a socket portion E for receiving the legs C, a pair of locking portions F engageable with the respective stepped portions D of the plug member A, and a pair of resilient push levers G each having a pushing portion H adapted to be located outside the respective leg C for pushing the leg C to disengage the stepped portion D from the companion locking portion F. This conventional art is exemplified by Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-30090 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-145109.
With this conventional type buckle, partly since the plate shaped plug member A has a pair of legs C each having on its outer surface a stepped portion D, and partly since the flat tube shaped socket member B has a pair of locking portions F releasably engageable with the respective stepped portions D and a pair of resilient push levers G outside the locking portions F for pushing the free ends of the legs C to disengage the stepped portions D from the respective locking portions F, the plug and socket members A and B would be moved about one of the stepped portions D if the other stepped portion D of the plug member A is accidentally disengaged from the companion locking portion F as an outward pulling force is exerted on the plug and socket members A and B, thus releasing the buckle.
Further, if the legs C of the plug member A is inserted into the socket portion E of the socket member B off a predetermined locking position by error, it would be a cause for possible damage to the buckle.